A St. Patrick’s Day Party can be full of fun and mischief and silliness – a bit like my dog, Beckham. We decided to pretend to be Irish for a day and invite our friends with their pups to celebrate with Green Beer, Leprechaun Dog Treats, and Irish coffee.

I didn’t do it – the Leprechaun did! Oh, what a perfect excuse from my pup on the day everyone wears green.

A leprechaun is a mischievous elf of Irish folklore who will reveal the hiding place of treasure if you catch him. If my pup will lead me to buried treasure, I’m all in for the hunt with him.

In our world, it isn’t a real party unless there are pet treats and cocktails, so of course we have included recipes for some amazing gourmet dog treats and our favorite Irish cocktail.

Leprechaun Dog Treats

We found this easy-to-make, pup-friendly recipe at Dog Mom Days, but took the liberty of renaming it in honor of all the mischievous elves in the world who are hiding treasure.

Leprechaun Dog Treats (Mint Dog Treats) 

Ingredients

• 4 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 cup water
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• 1 egg
• 1 cup fresh mint
• ½ cup fresh parsley

Directions

• Preheat oven to 350°.
• Start by whisking the egg, water, and coconut oil in a large bowl until it becomes a smooth mixture.
• Slowly pour the 4 cups of flour into the liquid mixture until it creates a workable dough.
• Knead in the parsley and mint. You can also add it to the flour before you pour it into the liquid mixture. If you find that your dough is too dry, add some water ¼ cup at a time.  If your dough is too sticky, add more flour as necessary.
• Sprinkle some flour on your workspace. Roll out the dough.
• Cut the dough into shapes using dog bone shaped cookie cutters.
• Place the treats on a baking sheet.
• Bake for 15 minutes or longer if you want a crisper treat.
• Let the treats cool before giving them to your dog. Refrigerate for up to a week.
• Recipe makes 4 dozen small treats.

The Party Cocktail: Irish Coffee 

We will start off the party with Green Beer, but there is nothing better to end an Irish-themed evening than the traditional Irish Coffee. Irish coffee was invented in the 1940s by Joe Sheridan, a chef in County Limerick, Ireland.

Irish Coffee with Variations 

I love the fact that an Irish coffee is traditionally served in Ireland both as a morning drink on special days like St. Patrick’s Day and an after-dinner drink. A classic Irish coffee is typically made with Irish whiskey.  To qualify as Irish whiskey, a spirit must be produced from malt, grain, and barley and distilled, aged in wooden casks for a minimum of three years, and bottled in Ireland.

Here is the recipe for the classic drink and some fun variations.

Ingredients

• ½ cup heavy cream
• 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons light brown sugar
• 1 ½ cups brewed coffee, hot
• 3 ounces Irish whiskey

Directions

• Fill two heatproof glass mugs with hot water and set them aside.
• Using an electric hand mixer, whip the heavy cream until soft peaks form.
• Add the granulated sugar and brown sugar into the hot coffee and stir well to dissolve.
• Add the whiskey and stir.
• Empty the mugs and fill them with equal parts of the coffee-whiskey mixture. Gently spoon whipped cream over the surface so that it floats.

Sláinte!

Variations

• Irish cream coffee: This sweeter variation on Irish coffee features hot coffee and Irish cream liqueur, a blend of Irish whiskey, cream, and sugar.
• Highland coffee: Highland coffee features Scotch whisky as its primary spirit, which gives the brewed coffee a smokier edge.
• Kentucky coffee: This Irish variation feature bourbon instead of whiskey. This one gets my vote as I am definitely a Jack Daniels kind of girl!

Pet Safety Tips for your Party

Our company motto is: “Parties are Better with Dogs”

You must always make sure, however, that you party safely with your pets in attendance.

Here are some tips for keeping your pup safe while you and your friends celebrate being Irish for a Day!

• Keep alcoholic beverages away from pets. Remember: No Green Beer for your pup!
• Shamrocks are beautiful symbols of St. Patrick’s Day and Ireland, but they can be toxic to pets. Make sure you keep them out of reach of your pup.
• This is the perfect opportunity to dress your dog in a costume or a green hat. Some pets, however, do not appreciate costumes, so if your pup signals to you that he’d rather just be Irish in spirit and not in dress, don’t force the issue.

 

May the Luck of the Irish Be with You and Your Pup 

A lovely Irish proverb is May you find gold at the end of the rainbow.

If you share your life with a dog, I believe you have already found that precious gold in their love and friendship.

Making memories with your pets – one pot of gold at a time.